Mrs Jolly’s mum Slyvia Duddle, 61, was planning to spend Christmas with her daughter for the first time in years, surrounded by their family.

Painful Loss: Paula Jolly was a mother of five and Mr Ward's girlfriend - friends and family have paid tribute since her tragic death

She said: “We were in contact again, it was like a fresh start. We’d lost contact for a while, but about five-months-ago, we heard from Paula again.

“She was living in Hulme. She moved to Dudley years ago, but came back.

“She was supposed to be coming to one of my other daughter’s houses and staying for Christmas, but then I found out what had happened in the early hours of the morning.

“I feel broken - like my heart has been ripped out.”

Police Appeal: Police are still appealing for witnesses to the late night crash (Image: Eamonn & James Clarke)

Michael, from Broughton, Salford, was the dad of Mike Ward, 24, a former finalist on BBC One talent show The Voice.

Mike wrote on Facebook: “Can’t get over it... So sad that you’re gone dad and so sudden... Saddest thing is not getting the chance to say goodbye but I know you were very proud of me and all your children.

“R.I.P dad and Paula you will both be very missed.

Michael’s sister Theresa McCoy, 47, landlady of the Dover Inn pub in Broughton told the MEN: ““It doesn’t feel real, we don’t know what to think yet. He would have been in here having a Christmas drink with us. I can’t believe he’s gone.

“The police came round in the morning and at first I thought it must have been an incident on the road or something. They said it was to do with him and my first instinct was to ring Paula.

“I managed to get to the hospital before he died but he was already gone, I could tell.”

When officers arrived they found a blue Vauxhall Corsa had collided with the pair as they were crossing the road.